On the Trail: A first look at the Camp Mohican

Editor's note: On the Trail is a periodic Pocono Outdoors feature focusing on trails throughout the Poconos and nearby.

Editor's note: On the Trail is a periodic Pocono Outdoors feature focusing on trails throughout the Poconos and nearby.

Today's feature trail takes us across the Delaware River into New Jersey to a former Boy Scout camp called Camp Mohican, which is the gateway to a hike along the Rattlesnake Swamp Loop Trail, which connects to the Appalachian Trail. I was accompanied on the hike with a delightful group of Road Scholars who came from various parts of the country.

Sights, sounds and excitement began with our first step on this incredible adventure. We tunneled through colors of mountain laurel, discovered prickly woodland urchins, listened to alien sounds from above, bumped into intriguing eyeballs and towered up to new heights.

This was my introduction to Camp Mohican as well as to the 10 enthusiastic Road Scholars who registered for this guided nature hike through the Shawnee Institute.

Camp Mohican is near Blairstown, N.J. Our trip leader on the 6-mile hike was my good friend Len Rue, a world-renowned wildlife photographer. We were joined by two additional Shawnee Institute guides — Cortney Gill and a man called Alder, who offered hiking assistance and camaraderie. I was to introduce the group to the natural wonders of the Poconos and, based upon the diverse amounts of plants and animals found along the trail, I had more than a mouthful and handful to share.

Len planned the hike to begin at Camp Mohican, a former Boy Scout camp now owned by the federal government and leased to the Appalachian Mountain Club. The camp road leads to the trail head of Rattlesnake Swamp Loop Trail. The trail bypasses a secluded glacial wetland called Catfish Pond. It parallels Rattlesnake Swamp for several miles through a deciduous forest before it ascends to the intersection of the Appalachian Trail. The trail travels southwest along Kittatinny Ridge for several miles before intersecting with the Rattlesnake Swamp connector trail and then descends to where we started.

We began our early-morning hike on a most delightful day with plenty of sunshine and low humidity — the perfect hiking weather.

The gravel road that led to Rattlesnake Swamp Trail was bordered by lush vegetation composed of fruiting shrubs such as highbush blueberry, male-berry, arrow-wood and elderberry. This created the perfect habitat for the eastern catbirds, song sparrows, American redstarts and common yellowthroats. The tandem of birds sang a melodious announcement to our hiking brigade.

We then entered Rattlesnake Swamp Trail and began the second course of our outdoor adventure. Catfish Pond greeted us along the way and shared a pristine reflection of the neighboring mountainside. Floating blossoms of fragrant water-lily dotted the pond's tranquil surface, while dozens of green frogs "churnked" from along its edge.

Farther along the trail, we ventured into one of the most incredible floral displays I can recall, as thousands of mountain laurels were in full bloom. We tunneled through the colorful canopy and entered into a world of rose-colored bouquets. The group continued uphill through a mixed hardwood forest of oak, maple, tulip and birch — home to the many woodland salamanders, called red efts, that crossed our path.

But the woodland urchins that I found on the forest floor were the most intriguing. I picked up a ball of spines and informed the group it was the fruit of the American chestnut. I pointed to the towering survivor, more than 60 feet tall, that had produced these edible nuts.

A distant noise grew louder as we hiked farther uphill. The continuous high-pitched buzzing of 17-year cicadas emanated throughout the forest. We found a few cicadas and admired their bright-red eyes and chunky bodies, but the boisterous symphony of these peculiar bugs became so annoying, I called it a case of "tree-top tinnitus."

We reached the Appalachian Trail intersection and proceeded southwest toward the Catfish Fire Tower. Suddenly, a dragonfly landed on hiking guide Alder's shoulder. He walked toward me as the insect remained perched, and I gently lifted the dragonfly and identified it as a Harlequin darner.

We made it to the top of the mountain and ate lunch beneath the fire tower. Some of us climbed the 60-foot tower, which offered incredible panoramic views of forested New Jersey and the endless Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania.

Before we continued on the hike, a fluttering, grayish insect whizzed by me, and I quickly snatched it on the wing. The critter turned out to be a big-eyed click beetle. The group gathered around the 2-inch beetle to hear the "click" as it forcefully snapped its head and thorax forward. They also admired its two beautiful, fake black "eyes" on its gray-colored thorax.

Prior to our descent down a steep, rocky grade, trip leader Len ventured off the path and led us to a rocky escarpment that offered an incredible view of farmlands and rolling hills below as well as colorful wildflowers such as Carolina rose, Venus looking-glass and whorled loosestrife beneath our feet.

The downhill loop back to Camp Mohican was somewhat challenging but well worth the effort. The Road Scholars were quite impressed with our adventure, and Len and our hiking team did a phenomenal job.

The timing was just right with noisy cicadas, prickly chestnuts, daring dragonflies, clicking heads and magnificent mountain laurels — all thanks to our sister state of New Jersey, which offered a fantastic hike full of fun, adventure and color.

Contact Rick Koval at pocononaturalist@yahoo.com or write to him at PO Box 454, Dallas, PA 18612.